


the inevitability cloak

by villiageidiot



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Alec Lightwood Loves Magnus Bane, Alternate Universe - Harry Potter Setting, Background Relationships, Enemies to Lovers, Friends to Lovers, Magnus Bane Loves Alec Lightwood
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-29
Updated: 2020-12-29
Packaged: 2021-03-10 19:33:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,015
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28382523
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/villiageidiot/pseuds/villiageidiot
Summary: It doesn't matter to which house he belongs, or what the Sorting Hat will say;Because despite whatever happens, Alec falls in love anyway'Who loves who' and friendships never stay the same;But time after time, for him, all he sees is Magnus Bane(or: what happens when the author can’t decide which Hogwarts house would get Alec Lightwood)
Relationships: Clary Fray & Alec Lightwood, Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood
Comments: 26
Kudos: 124





	1. ravenclaw

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The first thing Alec thinks when the Sorting Hat bellows, “Ravenclaw!” is frenzied panic. He has no idea what to tell his mother, and when both his sister and adopted brother are announced as Gryffindor, the panic forms itself into a heavy ball that settles into the pit of his stomach. Alec Lightwood, always such a disappointment.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> for SHBingo 2020-2021  
> square: star-gazing

The first thing Alec thinks when the Sorting Hat bellows, “Ravenclaw!” is frenzied panic. He has no idea what to tell his mother, and when both his sister and adopted brother are announced as Gryffindor, the panic forms itself into a heavy ball that settles into the pit of his stomach. Alec Lightwood, always such a disappointment.

*

1\. 

Ravenclaws only have one class with the Gryffindors in his first year. Alec looks forward to Potions everyday, the small chunk of time he gets to spend with Izzy and Jace. They sit next to each other in class, and even though they don't get to talk, just being around people he knows and loves is a comfort.

By Christmas break a redhead named Clary joins them. She's nice enough, but instead of being the Lightwood siblings it becomes The Gryffindors and Alec. When he goes home for the holidays his mother doesn't talk about it. Alec the Ravenclaw is something she sweeps under the rug and ignores.

After the holidays, it gets worse. Alec spends free time in the library, trying to ignore all of the other lonely first-years. There's Hufflepuff who looks desperate for a friend, and Alec avoids eye contact so as not to become that friend. There's also an enigmatic Slytherin, and Alec avoids eye contact so that he won't be caught staring.

2\. 

He has two classes with Jace and Izzy in his second year, but it doesn't matter. They have inside jokes and talk about Quidditch, and it only makes Alec feel worse. There's a distance at school that disappears at home, so he mostly just waits to go home.

Sometimes he accidentally makes eye contact with the Hufflepuff, who eventually takes it as an invitation to sit with Alec in the library or stand next to him during broom practice.

Sometimes he gets caught staring at the Slytherin boy, and he looks away, flushing immediately. He tries to remind himself that the Slytherin boy was watching him back, but it only makes him flush darker.

3\. 

Alec sits with Simon during the Hufflepuff vs. Ravenclaw Quidditch match during third year, and it's the closest thing he has to a friendship. He introduces Simon to Jace and Izzy, and Simon becomes fast friends with his siblings. Simon stops going to the library and he stops sitting with Alec. It's not like Alec blames Simon. If Alec had a choice, he'd rather be friends with Jace and Izzy than himself, too.

The Slytherin slides into a chair across from Alec in the library a few days later. "It's just you and me now," he says. His voice is soft and welcoming and a little teasing, and Alec wants to hear it again and again.

Alec looks around to see he's right; everyone else has finally found friends. "I guess so," he says back. The Slytherin smiles and Alec flushes even though there's absolutely no reason to.

"I'm Magnus," he tells Alec, opening his book.

After a long pause, he says, "I'm Alec."

Magnus looks up from his book and cocks his head. "You don't look like an Alec."

Alec frowns. "What do I look like?"

"I don't know," Magnus says thoughtfully, before turning back to his book.

Alec watches him for a few moments before doing the same.

He does not introduce Magnus to his siblings.

4\. 

Alec still goes to the library but he doesn't have his own table anymore. Sometimes he even gets shushed. Alec gets _shushed_.

"You're a bad influence," Alec tells Magnus. "I never used to get shushed."

Magnus doesn't look apologetic at all. Instead he tells Alec about the thing that happened with the murtlap in his Magical Creatures class. The story itself is okay but the way Magnus tells it, Alec can't help but stare and smile and laugh. He's never known anyone like Magnus before.

There's a Yule Ball and it's all anyone talks about. Simon asks Izzy, and Clary asks Jace, but Alec doesn't ask anyone. Magnus asks him one day who he's taking, and he's very interested in Alec's answer, even though Alec can tell he's trying not to be.

"No one," Alec says. And with his heart in his throat, he asks, "How about you?"

Magnus smiles, a bright smile Alec doesn't see often, and instead of answering, he says, "Let's not go. Let's sneak up to the Astronomy towers to see the stars."

"You're a bad influence on me," Alec says, narrowing his eyes.

But that's what they do. They lie on the floor of the highest tower, and Alec thinks Magnus might reach for his hand, but he never does.

Instead, he talks about being a Slytherin and how no one looks at him right, even though he begged the Sorting Hat not to put him there. Alec tells him how his mom won't talk about her son being a Ravenclaw, but he likes his house. He likes being smart, and he likes learning, and he likes having to solve a riddle before he's allowed to even enter the room.

Although if he was in Gryffindor, maybe he'd be brave enough to reach for Magnus' hand.

5\. 

The OWLs consume most of his time during his fifth year, although it's fine; it just means he spends his nights at the library sneaking glances at Magnus across the table. He catches Magnus staring back more and more, and Alec swears he can actually hear his own heartbeat thundering in his chest.

But Clary breaks up with Jace and then a few weeks later, Izzy breaks up with Simon. Then Izzy stops speaking to Jace completely, and Alec is put in the middle.

Alec doesn't care about their romantic drama because he's having his own romantic crisis, but Magnus doesn't seem to mind the occasional extra company at their library desk when his siblings stop by. He doesn't seem to care too much for either of them, but Alec doesn't know if he's ever seen Magnus particularly care for anyone at all.

So to hide from them, sometimes they still sneak up to the Astronomy towers. Magnus still never reaches for his hand, and Alec isn't brave enough to try.

6\. 

During sixth year, his siblings are unbearable. Jace and Clary get back together and Simon is miserable. Sometimes he asks Alec about Jace, awkward questions that Alec hates answering. Simon wears his emotions for the world to see, and he doesn't even try to hide his heartbreak. Izzy watches Simon watch Jace and it's too much to handle.

So Alec hides in the Astronomy tower. He's begun to realize that it's more about time with Magnus than it is about hiding from his siblings.

And he thinks of Simon. He thinks that if Simon can be so openly broken, then Alec can take a risk, too.

He lies on the cement, staring at the stars, and reaches for Magnus' hand. Magnus freezes and time stops for Alec. He's holding his breath, waiting for what comes next. For Magnus to run away or pull back, to brush it off and make a joke. Alec tries to be ready for all of it, any of it. What he's not ready for:

"Alexander," Magnus says, clearly and purposefully, "I think I'm in love with you."

Alec can't help the grin that lights up his face. He forgets about the stars; all he can see is Magnus.

7\. 

"That's the - the Eros constellation," Magnus says, breathless.

Alec is nipping at Magnus' neck, pressed up close as they share a blanket wrapped around their shoulders, but he pulls away to give Magnus an impressive side-eye. "That's not a thing," he says plainly.

"It could be," he says, but he's staring at Alec's mouth.

"Well, it's not," Alec says, before leaning over for a kiss.

Later, after they're both breathless and flushed, Alec pulls Magnus close, tangling their hands together, and he silently thanks the Sorting Hat for putting him in Ravenclaw. If he hadn't been that lonely boy, he wouldn't be where he is: deeply and hopelessly in love.

*

but what if

*


	2. slytherin

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The first thing Alec thinks when the Sorting Hat bellows, “Slytherin!” is bone-deep relief. He can't wait to tell his mother, to see the pride on her face. When both his sister and adopted brother are announced as Gryffindor, he realizes the weight falls on his shoulders now. He's responsible for the family image. Alec Lightwood, always the soldier.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> for SHBingo 2020-2021  
> square: friends to lovers

The first thing Alec thinks when the Sorting Hat bellows, “Slytherin!” is bone-deep relief. He can't wait to tell his mother, to see the pride on her face. When both his sister and adopted brother are announced as Gryffindor, he realizes the weight falls on his shoulders now. He's responsible for the family image. Alec Lightwood, always the soldier.

*

1\. 

The Slytherin common room is terrifying for a first-year, so Alec steadfastly avoids eye contact. He tries his best to stay out of everyone's way, but that first night he accidentally trips over a towering fourth-year. Alec stutters an apology, and is taken aback when a tiny red-head bursts her way between them and hurls angry words at the surly fourth-year. He narrows his eyes at Alec, but backs away anyway.

Her name is Clary, she says, and Alec can't help but feel a small swell of solidarity.

They sit together at dinner, everyone giving them a wide berth, save for a small, dark-haired first-year.

Her mom is dead, Clary explains, and her dad is in Azkaban. So she understands if Alec doesn't want to be seen with her.

But Alec knows better than anyone that no one gets to choose their parents.

The dark-haired boy follows them closely on the way back to the common room. His mom is dead and his Dad is in Azkaban too, he says quietly, and can they be his friends too?

Clary's face lights up, and she links arms with both of her new best friends.

2\. 

Izzy and Jace don't quite understand how Alec became best friends with not one but _two_ students with sociopathic incarcerated fathers, but they don't seem too concerned, either.

Alec had always thought maybe Hogwarts would just be an extension of home, spending time with Izzy and Jace. And then he had thought maybe school would be a chance to be alone for once, because Alec had never really needed friends.

But by his second year, he realizes it isn't either of those things.

Hogwarts means Magnus and it means Clary and it means laughing and staying up late and getting into trouble - _so much trouble_ \- and it means escape from his mother's unattainable expectations.

It also means judgment and bias and snide looks from classmates. The older Slytherins look at Magnus and Clary warily, and the other houses look at them with disdain.

But Clary holds her head high, Magnus returns their withering glares, and Alec sits between them, finally feeling free.

3\. 

Magnus has a few other friends, like Ragnor and Cat and Dot. And Camille. And Raphael. And Meliorn. And Lily.

Actually, Magnus has a lot of other friends.

Clary has a few, too, like Simon and Maia.

But Alec only has Clary and Magnus, which is exactly how he likes it. He doesn't need more people in his life. He has his siblings and his two best friends. Anyone else would just take time away from the people that matter.

"Don't you get bored?" Magnus asks him one day, peering over Alec's shoulder in their shared room. "Reading about ministry decrees and Wizarding bylaws?"

"No," Alec says simply, barely glancing up.

"You're a third-year," Magnus sighs, but it's fond and amused, not resigned and weary.

So Alec stays inside and studies while Magnus heads to Hogsmeade with his friends, and Clary spends the day with Simon feeding hippogriffs. But Alec, he likes it, spending time with his books and his parchment. He wants to be prefect in a couple of years, and Head Boy a couple of years after that. Alec has _plans_. He wants to be someone; he wants to matter.

At night it's just the three of them again, and Alec sits by the fire listening to his two best friends talk about life.

4\. 

The Yule Ball is overrated.

The three of them, they were supposed to be going together, but then - well, then… _Camille_.

"She asked him to the dance," Clary tells Alec at dinner one night, which probably explains Magnus' absence from the table.

"She did?" Alec asks, frowning. "I thought she was going out with that blonde Hufflepuff?"

"So did the blonde Hufflepuff," Clary says.

So Magnus and Camille go to the dance while Clary and Alec sit together and watch them, neither hiding their annoyance all that well.

And then Magnus and Camille start dating. And then they break up. And then they do it again. And again.

But in between, Magnus always returns to Clary and Alec, tears in his eyes.

It's a long year.

5\. 

Alec becomes the Slytherin prefect, but the satisfaction is short-lived when his best friends accidentally-on-purpose flood the third-floor girls' bathroom the first week back to school.

Magnus has the decency to look faux-apologetic but Clary remains indignant, fuming about a sixth-year Gryffindor and a meat pie and puking pastilles.

Alec spends a significant amount of time looking the other way when Magnus and Clary do … just all the shit they’ve always done.

“How am I going to become the Minister of Magic if I keep letting you two get away with everything?" he asks them both in Charms class, sounding defeated.

"Minister of Magic?" Victor snorts from the desk behind them. "You think they'll ever put a Slytherin in charge of the Ministry?"

Alec says nothing, though he feels Clary and Magnus tense on either side of them.

And when Victor's quill turns into a frog and his parchment catches on fire, Alec smiles, and still says nothing.

6\. 

Magnus has _so many friends_. And Alec is fine with it, he is, because he's never wanted more than Clary and Magnus. Alec had always been fine with it.

"I never see you anymore," Alec says quietly, as the three of them study in the library.

Magnus looks up from his notes, startled. Clary swallows but doesn't look up, like maybe she knows this isn't something she should be a part of.

"What?" Magnus asks, understandably confused. It's been silent for an hour so the quasi-accusation sort of comes out of nowhere.

"It's just - we study together but then you spend the afternoon with Dot," Alec whispers. "And eat lunch with Raphael and go to Quidditch with Cat -"

"Then come with me sometime," Magnus interrupts, an unexpected edge to his voice.

Clary still doesn't look up, and her steadfast avoidance is unnerving. She knows something; she and Magnus have a _secret_ , and it hurts.

Alec opens his mouth but doesn't say anything. He doesn't want to go to Quidditch games with Magnus and Cat. He doesn't want to eat lunch with Magnus and his other friends. He wants to sit by the fire, just the two of them.

But he doesn't say any of that.

He just nods and says, "Okay," even though he knows he won't.

7\. 

Alec becomes Head Boy, a culmination of a lifetime of perseverance. It's a little less rewarding than he thought it'd be, though, as he patrols the corridors alone while Magnus and Clary sit outside drinking their Firewhiskey contraband.

"So now that you're finally Head Boy, are you going to take a breather and live life a little?" Jace asks him during Herbology.

Alec's only half paying attention, preoccupied with watching Camille and Magnus work on their project. The professor assigned them their partners, and Alec hasn't been able to focus since.

"Lily looks at you sometimes, you know. Like _looks_ at you," Jace says. When Alec doesn't respond, he continues, "And Raj. He looks at you, too."

Alec still doesn't say anything, gaze fixed on Camille.

"And - and Magnus," Jace adds carefully.

Alec looks over to Jace sharply. "What?"

Jace hesitates. "Magnus. He - he looks at you, too."

It's like Alec is suddenly underwater. The noise of the class settles into a faraway hum, and his classmates fade out of view, save for Alec's best friend.

Alec is useless for the rest of class, and as soon as it's over, he pulls Magnus by his loosened tie until they're hidden behind the greenhouse.

"How long?" Alec demands, eyes narrowed.

Magnus is quiet for a moment and doesn't bother pretending that he doesn't know what Alec means. "A while."

Alec stares at him before closing the distance between them, pressing his lips against Magnus', fiercely and purposefully. They're kissing and then they break apart for air. And then they kiss again. And again. And again.

Later, after they've huffed out a few embarrassed laughs, Alec rests his forehead against Magnus' and laces their fingers together. As they stand there, hidden behind the greenhouse and late for their next class, he silently thanks the Sorting Hat for putting him in Slytherin. If he hadn't met his best friend the first day of school, he wouldn't be where he is: deeply and hopelessly in love.

*

or what if

*


	3. gryffindor

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The first thing Alec thinks when the Sorting Hat bellows, “Gryffindor!” is conflicted apprehension. When he tells his mother, he's not sure what he'll see on her face. They've always known that both his sister and adopted brother would be sorted into Gryffindor, but she'd always hoped Alec would carry on the Lightwood Slytherin tradition. Maybe she'll be relieved or maybe she'll be disappointed. Alec Lightwood, always a conundrum.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> for SHBingo 2020-2021  
> square: meet ugly

The first thing Alec thinks when the Sorting Hat bellows, “Gryffindor!” is conflicted apprehension. When he tells his mother, he's not sure what he'll see on her face. They've always known that both his sister and adopted brother would be sorted into Gryffindor, but she'd always hoped Alec would carry on the Lightwood Slytherin tradition. Maybe she'll be relieved or maybe she'll be disappointed. Alec Lightwood, always a conundrum.

*

1\. 

His first year does not start out well. Alec is desperate to prove himself, to show how he's easily the best Potions student in the school. But some dark-haired Slytherin sets that plan on fire on day two. Sure, he's pretty decent at Potions, too, but after they're paired up, they argue over how much of the dragonfly thorax to use and how little of the gillyweed and just the presence of acromantula venom even at all. Eventually, the Slytherin knocks over the cauldron and the green sludge dumps all over Alec's lap.

"What's your deal?" Alec grits out, trying to dodge more clumps.

"Maybe if you weren't a control-freak," the dark-haired boy says with narrowed eyes.

They argue loudly enough for the professor to get involved, and both manage to lose house points on their first week. When he's given the silent treatment from the rest of the Gryffindors, Alec decides Magnus Bane will rue the day he ever sat next to him in class.

2\. 

Alec makes the Quidditch team, the youngest player in decades. He tries to subdue his excitement, tries to downplay the pride in beating Jace at something _for once_ , for being sharper than Izzy _for once_ , and he does a fairly good job of it. Youngest player in decades, though, and he hides the thrill from his classmates but not from himself.

The title is short-lived.

At dinner, he watches the Slytherins celebrate Magnus' successful tryouts, and seeing as that he's two months younger than Alec, he's officially the youngest player in decades.

He meets Alec's gaze from across the room and his mouth twitches into a smile. Alec narrows his eyes, refusing to rise to the bait.

But when they play each other later in the year, and when Alec scores a goal right in the middle loop, just barely getting past Magnus' outstretched hand, Alec doesn't feel vindication. He catches a glimpse of Magnus' face and doesn't see frustration or anger there; he sees disappointment and shame. Alec feels a fleeting moment of inexplicable sympathy, but then there's a bludger flying at his face and the moment is gone.

The Slytherins win anyway, and when Magnus comes over, Alec narrows his eyes and walks away, not allowing Magnus the opportunity to gloat. He feels Magnus' gaze follow him but tries not to think about it.

3\. 

His third year hits another sour note. Alec spends his weekends perfecting his Magical Creatures project, accompanied by a twenty-two inches of parchment. Three days before it's due, he finds it missing from his bag, and he panics after he tears his room and trunk apart.

It's Magnus, he realizes. Alec is the only one that's a better student than he is, and obviously he did it.

Alec says as much to him in the library that evening, accusing him passionately, but also quietly so as not to draw the ire of the librarian. Magnus listens to him but doesn't defend himself, simply furrowing his brow and drawing into himself the longer the accusation goes on.

So he spends the weekend re-writing, fuming at Magnus every time he takes a break to refill his ink.

A week after it's turned in, the professor holds him after class along with Raj, forcing Raj to apologize for stealing Alec's parchment and plagiarizing his work. Alec even earns house points for writing two separate papers.

He moves to the Slytherin table to apologize to Magnus over breakfast the next day, but Magnus won't meet his eyes and his friends form a barrier around him anyway.

When Magnus accidentally meets his gaze in class a few days later, there's a look Alec can't place, and Alec realizes it's probably too late to find the right words anyway.

4\. 

The Yule Ball is all anyone talks about during fourth year, and it makes Alec feel out-of-place. Jace takes some annoying Hufflepuff kid, Izzy and Clary go together, and the fact that he doesn't know if any of them are friends or more-than-friends or something purely physical is just more fuel to the fire. Alec doesn't have anyone that could be confused as more-than-friends or even just something purely physical.

So when he goes alone and watches Magnus dance with dozens of boys and girls, not knowing if they're all his friends, or if some are more-than-friends, or if a few are purely physical, he's startled to find that he's irritated. And jealous maybe.

He's jealous that Magnus has so many to choose from, jealous that Magnus actually even wants to choose someone, since Alec has never had the opportunity or the desire.

And there's a different type of jealousy, but he steadfastly ignores it.

5\. 

Magnus refuses to let up even a little during their fifth year. He becomes prefect while Alec loses out to Aldertee. He outperforms Alec in almost every subject. The Slytherins beat the Gryffindors easily, and at the end of the year he watches Magnus undoubtedly ace every practical assessment of the OWL exams.

Days before the train leaves, he passes Magnus in an empty hallway, and the self-satisfied look on Magnus' face is his last straw. Alec is normally so controlled, but something about Magnus and his self-confidence and his easy demeanor and his blatant popularity and his unnaturally beautiful face -

Wait. What was that last one -

Alec snaps and lurches forward to press his palm against Magnus' sternum and shove him against the brick wall.

Magnus looks at him with wide eyes, and Alec suddenly realizes that he isn't sure what to do with Magnus now that he has him there.

He wants to keep pushing him, wants to maybe hit him, but also he kind of wants to kiss him.

But before he can decide, Magnus rocks up onto the balls of his feet and presses his mouth quickly, softly, intentionally against Alec's.

Alec stands there, motionless, mouth not moving at all. This is Magnus and he's kissing him and they can't stand each other and _what is happening_ , and right as Alec decides to kiss him back, Magnus sharply pulls away.

"Oh my god," Magnus whispers, eyes wide and panicked. "That was a mistake; I'm so sorry." He ducks under Alec's arm and practically runs away.

Alec is left staring at the wall, dazed, and instead of thinking about the kiss, he hears ' _that was a mistake_ ' on loop, bitterness and suspicion settling into his chest.

It's almost almost all he thinks about for the entirety of the summer break.

6\. 

Alec freezes repeatedly during their sixth-year Quidditch match, which drives him crazy because he just wants to beat Slytherin _once_ , but every time Alec makes it to the goal he locks eyes with Magnus, who's wide-eyed and unsteady on his broom, and Alec fumbles the quaffle every damn time.

Gryffindor loses. _Again_.

Alec is bitter and angry and confused, and he snaps once again after he waits for Magnus outside of the locker room.

"Who do you think you are?" Alec bites out, once he's got Magnus firmly pressed against the brick wall again. "You kiss me and mess with my mind just to beat me at a Quidditch match? You're - that's - it's so low, Bane. That need to beat me at everything - it's pathetic."

"Pathetic?" Magnus asks, eyes narrowed. "That's rich, coming from Gryffindor's golden boy. You think because you're smart and you're a Lightwood and insanely hot that you can just get anything you want?"

Alec's mouth parts slightly and can't process anything other than _insanely hot_ until -

"I'm not trying to beat you, Lightwood," Magnus hisses. "I've been trying to _impress_ you."

Alec stares at him, still a little dumbfounded.

And then he lets go of Magnus' chest in order to grip his face in both hands and kiss him with everything he's got.

7\. 

They're lying on a bed inside the Room of Requirement when Magnus brings it up.

"It's been months," he says carefully. "Do you think you'll ever tell your siblings about us?"

Alec shifts onto his side to stare at Magnus skeptically. "Me? You're the one that hasn't wanted to tell your friends."

Because _this_ , this he has no problem telling Jace and Izzy about. Jace and Simon break up every third week and then make up in some spectacular fashion, while Izzy and Clary are very physically affectionate but also very publicly possessive. He doesn't know if either of those are love, but he sure as hell knows this is.

Magnus is watching him with mutual skepticism. "I'd tell them right now. You're the one that's the Gryffindor poster child."

"And you're the lothario Slytherin," Alec counters, even though they both know Magnus hasn't ever acknowledged any of his numerous admirers.

"So you're ready, then," Magnus says slowly.

Alec shifts closer and quietly says, "Magnus, I've been ready."

But in the end, they never have to tell anyone.

When they make their way into the Great Hall later, standing close but not too close, they both feel everyone's eyes on them.

Alec glances at Magnus, confused, until he notices the red and gold tie neatly knotted around Magnus' neck. He quickly looks down at himself and sees Magnus' green and silver tie knotted around his own neck.

Alec meets Magnus' eyes with a grin, shrugging. They sit at the edge of the Gryffindor table, near the entrance, side-by-side. Alec has never seen anyone as beautiful as Magnus in his entire life, and why did he wait so long?

Later, after they're pressed up close next to each other, Alec grasps Magnus' hand in his own under the table. As Magnus bumps his shoulder against his, Alec silently thanks the Sorting Hat for putting him in Gryffindor. If he hadn't met this competitive quasi-rival, he wouldn't be where he is: deeply and hopelessly in love.

*

but it could have been

*


	4. hufflepuff

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The first thing Alec thinks when the Sorting Hat bellows, “Hufflepuff!” is overwhelming humiliation. He'll never be able to look his mother in the eye again, to see the disdain and embarrassment on her face. When both his sister and adopted brother are announced as Gryffindor, he realizes how truly alone he is. They'll be tolerated and he'll be ignored. Alec Lightwood, always expendable.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> for SHBingo 2020-2021  
> square: Christmas

The first thing Alec thinks when the Sorting Hat bellows, “Hufflepuff!” is overwhelming humiliation. He'll never be able to look his mother in the eye again, to see the disdain and embarrassment on her face. When both his sister and adopted brother are announced as Gryffindor, he realizes how truly alone he is. They'll be tolerated and he'll be ignored. Alec Lightwood, always expendable.

*

1\. 

He doesn't go home for the holidays his first year. How can he? There's no way to look Maryse Lightwood in the eye and say, "But Mother, it means patience and loyalty," because to her, loyalty is weakness.

So Alec feigns illness and a need for the library and tells Jace and Izzy to tell his family hello.

He eats breakfast alone the next day, though there's a dark-haired Ravenclaw a few tables away and another first-year Hufflepuff at the end of the table.

He eats lunch alone the day after that, avoiding eye contact with both of them.

But during dinner the third day, the other Hufflepuff inches closer and closer until they're face-to-face.

"I'm Simon," he says finally. "Look, I'm alone and you're alone, and we could be friends, you know, since you really don't have any other options, and you probably need friends since you seem a little socially awkward -"

"Fine," Alec interrupts. "We can be friends."

He glances towards the Ravenclaw and thinks of saying something, but the other boy is reading and avoiding eye contact, so Alec doesn't.

2\. 

Alec and Simon hang out sometimes, but during the school year Simon mostly hangs out with Izzy, dreamy-eyed and smitten.

But during Christmas break, Alec feigns illness again, even though neither Izzy nor Jace buy it, and he and Simon spend their days together playing wizarding chess and building snowmen.

On the third day, Simon playfully harasses the Ravenclaw until he joins them. His name is Magnus and apparently he has nowhere to go, Simon says. His mother is gone and his father is in Azkaban. Alec's disapproving mother seems to pale in comparison to Magnus' story, so he doesn't say anything, and Magnus doesn't ask.

So on Christmas morning, the three of them trek through the snow to the Forbidden Forest and then wimp out and run home, laughing.

It's the first time he's laughed in a long time, and when Alec looks over to Magnus, he realizes it's the first time he's even seen Magnus smile ever.

3\. 

Simon goes home during their third year, so it's just Magnus and Alec. When they get bored playing outside, Magnus invites Alec to his common room, which Alec is kind of fascinated by, having never been anywhere but his own.

"When does December come before November?" the statue outside of the Ravenclaw asks the two of them as they try to enter.

"You have to answer a riddle just to go into your own common room?" Alec asks skeptically.

But Magnus isn't listening. He's staring at the statue thoughtfully. "In the dictionary," he says finally.

Alec stares at him as the door opens, but eventually scrambles to follow him inside.

They play chess for a bit, and talk about a few of their professors, then complain about a few of their classmates.

"She hates me," Alec says accidentally.

"Who?" Magnus asks. His face glows with the flickering firelight.

"My mother," he answers. "She won't look at me."

Magnus watches him and waits.

"But the thing is, I don't mind my sorting," Alec says. "I'm supposed to be loyal and just and patient. Who wouldn't want that?"

Magnus smiles. "Loyalty is one of the most noble traits to have."

Alec flushes, and if he hadn't been proud of his house before he certainly is now.

4\. 

The Yule Ball is kind of exciting. Instead of focusing on the loneliness of Christmas beak, he gets to focus on the distraction of a dance. Jace happens to be fixated on a red-headed Gryffindor at the moment, and Izzy takes Simon, who's been in love with her for years now.

Alec doesn't go, and neither does Magnus. Instead, Alec spends his night practicing his charms. And when everyone leaves for the Christmas holidays, Alec waits for Magnus outside the Ravenclaw common room statue. Magnus looks pleased and invites Alec up immediately.

They talk about anything, everything, and Alec eventually says, "I - I made you something." He waves his wand a little and several navy and bronze birds start fluttering around Magnus' head.

Magnus looks startled and happy, and there's an expression that vaguely reminds Alec of the way Simon looks at Izzy. It's a little overwhelming and Alec's breath hitches.

Magnus is prepared with a small petal that he places in Alec's hand. He whispers an incantation and it transforms into a yellow and black paper flower that blossoms in Alec's palm.

It's right then that Alec realizes the holidays aren't something to be dreaded but are instead the best part of his year.

5\. 

When Alec uses studying for the OWLs as an excuse to stay at school for the holidays of his fifth year, Jace gives him an amused, knowing smile.

"When did this change from avoiding your mom to spending time with him?"

Alec swallows but doesn't even attempt to argue.

"I'm happy for you," Jace says softly, clapping Alec on the shoulder.

He walks Jace to the train and as soon as it's out of sight, Alec turns and bolts to the Ravenclaw common room.

When he does, he sees a girl stumbling out of the door, giggling and holding on to Magnus' hand.

As she walks away and heads back towards what Alec assumes is the Slytherin common room, his stomach drops. He watches Magnus smile weakly after her, and when they finally lock eyes, after Magnus' smile falls as he sees Alec waiting for him, Alec's heart shatters.

Alec throws the tiny glass jar with the charmed water butterfly into the trash, and it shatters, too.

6\. 

Alec isn't forced to see him because Ravenclaws don't have any classes with Hufflepuffs his sixth year, but it doesn't hurt any less when he sees Magnus in the Great Hall.

He almost thinks about going home that Christmas because his mother's judgmental silence might be less painful than a Christmas alone in a castle that's not big enough for Alec and his broken heart.

But on Christmas morning, he leaves the common room for breakfast to find Magnus pacing outside of the pile of barrels surrounding the entrance. He's tapping them in no discernible pattern, covered in the vinegar that greets anyone who doesn't know the correct order. He's muttering to himself, "This makes no sense; how is this a thing…"

"What are you," Alec starts, voice shaky, before cleaning his throat and trying again, "What are you doing here?"

Magnus startles then stares at Alec as if he's unsure what to say. Eventually he takes a few steps forward and holds out his hand to show Alec the shattered glass bottle from last year. "This is beautiful," he says softly. "I wish you would have given it to me."

Alec swallows and stays where he is. "I didn't want to disturb you." He manages to keep the hurt out of his voice. Mostly.

"She's a friend," Magnus says, words tumbling out of his mouth in a rush. "It's not - I never - a _friend_ , only a friend," he repeats emphatically.

"Oh," Alec says.

And when Magnus takes a few steps closer, whispering something to transfigure an apple in his palm into a piece of mistletoe, Alec has to lean in to kiss him. He just has to.

7\. 

Alec takes the train home for the Christmas holiday during his seventh year. His boyfriend sits next to him on the way there, squeezing his hand, openly apprehensive.

When they get to the Lightwood Manor his mom greets them both, haltingly… but trying. It's been years since she celebrated the holidays with her son, and she's _trying_.

Magnus is quiet at first but eventually warms up, first with Isabelle, then with Max, then hesitantly with Jace. On Christmas morning Alec's mom gives Magnus an awkward hug, but it's only awkward because she doesn't hug anyone, not because he's her estranged son's boyfriend.

She whispers, "Thank you for loving my boy," and Alec can't help but swallow the lump in his throat since he most certainly wasn't meant to hear it.

Later, while they're sitting next to each other on the porch outside, he intertwines his fingers with Magnus'. And when Magnus rests his head on Alec's shoulder and watches the snow fall, Alec silently thanks the Sorting Hat for putting him in Hufflepuff. If he hadn't spent his holidays with this boy, he wouldn't be where he is: deeply and hopelessly in love.

*

so really it doesn't matter which.


End file.
